Wednesday, March 30, 2011

The muscles of the back respond very well to a high volume of work so this workout is great to stimulate new growth. Sometimes training back can fatigue your forearms so make sure not to hold everything with too firm of a grip. This workout can be done with any of your favorite back exercises, below are just some that I like to use for this.

Monday, March 28, 2011

If you want to gain muscle mass-Eat 50% more calories on one of your off days from working out. Eat everything and anything just stay away from trans fats and sugars. To figure out how many calories you would need simply multiple your body weight by 16 then multiply that by 1.5.

Change up your workout volume -If you always do low volume ( meaning not many sets and reps ) then switch your workouts to high volume ( numerous sets and reps ) to get new results!

Focus more on your backside! Most people are strong and developed in their chest, shoulders and quads but are super weak and underdeveloped in their back, hamstrings and glutes. Put more emphasis on the backside of your body and improve your posture, back health and your look!

If your body fat is not dropping it is most likely due to - 1) You don't workout hard enough 2) You eat too much/or not at the right time 3) Your not consistent

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

A2) Lying straight bar bicep curl with cable pulley ( set the pulley to the very bottom and attach a straight bar handle. Lie on your back curl the weight like a normal bicep curl just don't let your head come off the ground )-10 reps

SUPERSET WITHA3) Neutral grip chin-up ( if you can't perform these than use the assisted machine )-10 reps

Monday, March 21, 2011

Here is one of my DejaVu workout routines which is great way to shock your body into new changes. The name comes from the fact that you will go back to every exercise throughout the entire workout therefore getting that dejavu feeling. The idea of this workout is to get a high volume of work while moving at a high pace. I have had great success with this workout with my weight loss clients and those just looking to drop body fat.

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Most of us fall into a comfort zone with the workouts and exercises we do, heck really everything we do in life becomes a routine. In order to get the best results you need to be mixing things up. Below I have given some examples of common sticking points and a new alternative to make things better.

1) You do the same 45 minutes treadmill run/walk for your cardio. **Talk about boring and not effective! Who wants to run on a treadmill that long anyway....I know I don't.

CHANGE TO: Intervals on the bike3 minute warm-up1 minute work ( fast as you can ) / 1 minute rest ( slow ) x 8 rounds=16 minutes of work3 minute cool downFinish some ball slams for 4 rounds 15 slamsIf done hard enough 16 minutes of intervals should wipe you out2) You cant get your triceps to grow because you do nothing but pushdowns. ** Maximize your fiber recruitment by doing an exercise in which a greater load can be used.CHANGE TO: Close Grip barbell pressesDo 4-6 weeks of close grip presses on your tricep days and watch them grow!Do 5-6 sets of 10 reps

3) Your legs aren't growing with your usual low-mid rep leg routine. ** Switch to high reps with high weight. This is brutal but you will get a ton of new growth.

GO RIGHT BACK AND DO 1 ROUND OF A1/A2.......B1/B2.....C1/C2......D1/D2. Done!

4) You need to improve your core** Don't always wait til the end of your workout to do your core work.

CHANGE TO: Doing your core work at the beginning of the workout while you have the most energy. By doing this you wont have the tendency to cheat and head out of the gym early while doing minimal core work.

Monday, March 14, 2011

I read this workout from a guy named BedrosKeuilian. What is great about this routine is that it is super quick and can be done if your in a rush. Start by warming up on the leg press with a light weight. Now get into the workout by using a weight that you could press for 10 reps. Once you get 10 reps in have a partner ( or do it yourself ) strip a plate off each side and then rep out as many as you can. Keep following this format until you get to 100 reps. Once done with the 100 reps immediately perform 25 reps of stiff leg deadlifts with a pair of dumbbells. Thats it it!

Monday, March 7, 2011

This workout is best done with a partner. You would do one set, then your partner would do their set before moving right into the next exercise. If you are training alone then take about 30 seconds between exercises. This routine is intense

Flat barbell bench press ( 1/2 method )-6 reps with heavy weight***This is when you rack the weight and drop the bar to the chest, then press it halfway up, then let it drop to the chest before finishing by pressing all the way up. This would be one rep.SUPERSET WITH

Flat dumbbell chest press-10 reps

SUPERSET WITH

Explosive pushups-12 reps** If you cannot finish these then move onto a bench to do the pushups or if you must drop to your knees.

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

This is a post for all the women out there. I cant stand when I hear some woman tell me she doesn't like to do weights because she gets big easily. If you can pack on muscle and get big that easy then please contact me asap because I want to know your secrets. Lets face you are not going to bulk up and here is why.

1. Women don't have the testosterone levels men have-depending on what you read some say women have only 10-20% of a mans testosterone level. Due to the higher levels men are more likely to be able to put on muscle mass and at a more rapid pace.2. You wont get bulky but in fact get more toned- Since the testosterone levels are not present to give women big muscles you will simply get more of a lean muscular look. Toning comes from stripping the fat away from the muscle and therefore enhancing its appearance. Celebrity women have toned muscles because they lift weights and eat right.

3. Getting big takes years and years of training for men let alone women- You will not get huge from starting to weight train overnight. Even if you lift weights for several years you wont achieve what your gender counter parts can achieve.

4. Bulking up is calorie dependant- Often times women associate getting bulky from starting to lift weights but this is generally caused from a poor diet and them gaining fat. A low calorie healthy nutrition plan plus weight training will produce a lean individual.

H4 Training Search

About Me

I'm a personal trainer working in Chicago. I hold a Bachelor's degree in Kinesiology from University of Nevada-Las Vegas. I am a certified trainer through the American College of Sports Medicine and also hold a certification through Titleist Performance Institute as a certified golf fitness instructor. I have been in the training world for many years and have worked in high end spa clubs, private personal training studios as well as major chain gyms.